Like bursting crackers on Diwali? Know the extent to which they pollute air

SC banned sale of firecrackers across NCR ahead of Diwali over concerns of growing air pollution in what is now the world's 11th most polluted city, according to WHO

While a Supreme Court decision to ban the sale–not the use–of firecrackers for the 2017 Diwali season is proving contentious, the pollution generated by popular fireworks ranges between hundreds and thousands of times above safe levels.

Popular firecrackers, such as fuljhadis (sparklers), snake tablet, anar (flower-pot), pul pul (string sparkler), ladi or laad (strings of 1,000 crackers) and chakri (spinning firecracker) emit particulate matter (PM) 2.5 in levels 200 to 2,000 times the safety limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), IndiaSpend reported on October 29, 2016.

The ban